Rodgers, who scored 10 goals playing up front with Henry for the Red Bulls last season, is confident he can still cut it in the Premier League.

"Thierry is pretty much the same player he was at Arsenal," Rodgers, 29, told the Daily Express.

"It's hard to say whether he has lost a yard of pace, but he's certainly still a lot quicker than me! I'm convinced he will be a big plus point for Arsenal and that he's still more than capable of playing in the Premier League.

"Everyone at the Bulls respects Thierry as a man and as a player. He is often the difference for us in games and still the one who pops up with that decisive goal or piece of skill.

"He makes the game easier for me.

"He's not selfish at all; he passes when I'm in a better position to score and he works for the team. You only have to watch him to see that he has still got it. And I know he loves Arsenal.

"He talks about a game he has seen on television or the latest Arsenal news. He has kept in touch with a lot of the players and speaks to them. A few have been over to see us play, and Robin van Persie was here not so long ago."